AquaHeal
Microbial modulation in aquacultures with recirculation system

The high controlled environmental conditions of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) may provide the right conditions for development of a strategy to stimulate the development of water bacterial communities with potential to suppress opportunistic pathogens and improve fish health and growth.

In this project we aim to apply the concept of microbiome modulation based on chemical and cellular-based approaches to develop an innovative in situ strategy for modulation of RAS water microbiome. Furthermore, the results of this project will contribute towards a better knowledge about the importance of water microbiome modulation in RAS environment and will have important relevance to similar scenarios in other aquaculture systems.

Therefore, this project will contribute to reduce the vulnerability of aquaculture systems and minimize the impact of disease outbreaks on fish production.

RAS Biotopes (fish, water and biofilms) Microbiome

Project

There is an increasing awareness about the importance of the manipulation of aquaculture water microbiome to improve fish health and production. However, the lack of knowledge about the effect of different strategies for water microbiome modulation on fish pathogens and host-microbe interactions is a stumbling block for developing a sustainable alternative to control aquaculture diseases.

In this project, we will apply the concept of microbiome modulation based on chemical and cellular-based approaches for modulation of water microbiome in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). If successful, this project will contribute for the development of an innovative microbiome modulation strategy to promote the growth and colonization of naturally occurring beneficial microbial communities with ability to suppress the development of waterborne pathogens and improve fish natural barriers against pathogenic strains.

Health Aquaculture Microbiome

Partners

Team Members

News / Results

Gomes N.C.M.
Humic acid modulates bacterioplankton and fish microbiome in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Session “Microbiomes for sustainability – boosting agri- and aquaculture ecosystems” in the 15th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO15).
Lisbon, Portugal. 26–30 May 2019 (oral presentation).
www.bageco.org

Louvado A., Coelho F.J.R.C., Palma M., Osório R., Magnoni L., Viegas I., Gomes N.C.M.
Effect of glycerol feed-supplementation on seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) gut microbiota.
15th Symposium on Bacterial Genetics and Ecology (BAGECO15).
26–30 May 2019, Lisbon, Portugal (poster presentation).
www.bageco.org

Gomes N.C.M.
Fish-microbe interactions and aquaculture sustainability. Session “Symbiosis (symbionts)” in the 17th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME17). Leipzig, Germany.
12 - 17 August 2018 (oral presentation).
isme17.isme-microbes.org

Duarte L.N., Coelho F.J.R.C., Oliveira V., Cleary D.F.R., Martins P., Gomes N.C.M. (2019)
Characterization of bacterioplankton communities from a hatchery recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for juvenile sole (Solea senegalensis) production. PLOS ONE 14(1): e0211209.
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211209